1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to electronic learning aids, flash-card training aids, and teaching devices. More specifically, this invention relates to a card type of electronic learning aid/teaching apparatus that includes a housing device and a plurality of uniquely coded cards, each having a surface on which a sensory-information representation in visual, tactile (including braille), and/or odorous form is provided to present pictorial symbol information and/or language-symbol information, to include imagery, alphabetic letters, phonemes, words, text, numerals, and/or arithmetical symbols. One or more coded cards are positionable on the housing device to enable the apparatus to generate unique audible information, such as vocal expression and/or nonvocal sound, associated with each coded card. The operator may cause the apparatus to generate the unique audible information of any selected coded card, or, starting with the leftmost coded card installed in the housing device, the operator can cause the apparatus to generate automatically, at a user adjustable rate, the unique audible information of all the coded cards sequentially. In addition, a means is provided for performing arithmetical operations on coded cards and generating audible results. A means is also provided for generating the corresponding audible equivalent of an arrangement of coded cards. A means is also provided to illuminate the sensory-information representation while the unique audible information associated with the coded card is being generated by the apparatus. A means is also provided for expanding the learning aid/teaching apparatus by increasing the total coded-card capacity. In addition, a means is also provided for increasing the amount of individual segments of unique audible information that may be accessed at a given time. An additional means is provided whereby a programming circuit is attached to the apparatus to allow the programming of selected coded cards.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Flash-card training aids are known in the prior art. One example of such prior art is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,040,987, entitled "Educational Aid for Word and Numeral Recognition," issued Aug. 20, 1991. Flash-card training aids are in common use in the education and the rehabilitation environments. An example of this is the Phonics Made Easy flash cards manufactured by School Zone.RTM. Publishing Company of Grand Haven, Mich. The types of flash cards mentioned above necessitate a supervisory person, who must provide information regarding the content of the card to the student/patient whenever required. In effect, the student/patient cannot use the cards alone and unsupervised.
Also, electronic learning aids that include the use of a card are known in the prior art. Examples include Time . . . To Go!.TM., Math . . . To Go !.TM., Words . . . To Go!.TM., Touch & Discover.TM., and Touch & Tell.TM., manufactured by Texas Instruments, Incorporated, of Dallas, Tex., as well as LITTLE TALKING SCHOLAR.TM. and FLASHCARDS.TM. by Video Technology Industries, Incorporated, of Wheeling, Ill. Each of the above-mentioned products is intended primarily for single-user operation and can accommodate only one card at a time, thus restricting the creativity and imagination of the operator by preventing multi-user interaction and the combination of card information. The Touch & Discover.TM., Touch & Tell.TM., and LITTLE TALKING SCHOLAR.TM. products offer expansion packs that provide additional activities and cards. Only one expansion pack can be installed at any one time, and when it is installed, the original, built-in activities of the product are disabled, preventing the combination of new and old activities and card information. In addition, the interword time of the internal speech synthesizers in these products is not adjustable, causing word-recognition problems for young or aphasic persons. Also, the Time . . . To Go!.TM., Math . . . To Go!.TM., Words . . . To Go!.TM., and FLASHCARDS.TM. products provide audible information in tone form only, a liquid-crystal display being the primary information output to the user. Liquid-crystal displays have a narrow field of view and are made small for economic reasons. The primary disadvantage of liquid-crystal-display-type products when used by young or aphasic persons is the poor reproduction of letters by the liquid-crystal display, as compared with letters, both uppercase and lowercase, found in printed material. This poor reproduction might confuse young or aphasic persons. Also, in the LITTLE TALKING SCHOLAR.TM., there is no apparent functional connection between the single card and a group of associated buttons. The card and the buttons are physically separated, as well as being on two different planes. This separation may cause confusion for young or aphasic users. The Talk Back.TM. III, manufactured by the Crestwood Company of Milwaukee, Wis., is a device that combines multiple cards with a housing device containing an addressable voice-storage means. To operate, the user presses one of three buttons located on the housing device, and a voice message is generated. A major disadvantage of this product is that the recorded voice message will be generated when the button is pressed, even if the wrong card or no card is installed--the device has no circuit means of card detection; thus, the device necessitates the presence of a supervisory person at all times. Another disadvantage of the product is its inability to generate the voice message sequentially from the three addresses of the voice-storage means automatically; this prevents the combination of card information. Still another disadvantage of the product is the inability to adjust the interword time of the voice message, which may be necessary for young or aphasic users as an aid in word recognition.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,403,965, entitled "Electronic Teaching Apparatus," issued Sep. 13, 1983, discloses a teaching apparatus combining interchangeable, flexible overlays containing multiple printed pictorial representations in unification with a keyboard under programmed control. To operate, the user presses the appropriate pictorial representation, closing the appropriate overlaid switch contact on the keyboard, in response to synthesized verbal prompts from the apparatus. The major disadvantage of this apparatus is an inability to tailor the operation of the apparatus to the specific needs or wishes of the user. Another disadvantage of this apparatus is its inability to operate with multiple overlays at the same time, which prevents the combining of overlay information. Another disadvantage of this apparatus is that the overlays can only be used with the apparatus and are not self-contained items to be used independently. Young and aphasic users might become confused if they attempt to use the cards in a traditional flash-card application because of the unfamiliar appearance and shape. Still another disadvantage of this apparatus is the inability to adjust the interword time of the synthesizer, which may be necessary for young or aphasic users as an aid in word recognition. U.S. Pat. No. 4,729,564, entitled "Card Reading Responsive Electronic Game," issued Mar. 8, 1988, discloses an electronic game in combination with cards depicting printed number, size, color, and shape represented by a bar code. To operate, the user inserts a card into the device in response to synthesized voice instructions from the device. Responses to the user's card selection are indicated by the synthesized voice and liquid-crystal-display facial caricature generated by the apparatus. The major disadvantage of this device is the lack of ability to tailor the operation of the apparatus to the specific needs or wishes of the user. Another disadvantage of this apparatus is its inability to operate with multiple cards at the same time, which prevents the combination of card information. Another disadvantage of this device is that the cards can only be used with the apparatus and are not self-contained items to be used independently. Young and aphasic users might become confused if they attempt to use the cards in a traditional flash-card application because of the unfamiliar appearance and shape. Still another disadvantage of this device is the inability to adjust the interword time of the synthesizer, which may be necessary for young or aphasic users as an aid in word recognition.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,980,919, entitled "Message Card Type of Language Practising Set for Children," issued Dec. 25, 1990, discloses a language-practising apparatus combining a maximum of sixteen possible message cards with an addressable voice synthesizer. Before the apparatus can be operated, a pattern or picture must be drawn or attached to a message card and a supervisory person must install the message card into the apparatus and then record an equivalent voice message into the addressable voice synthesizer. To operate, the user inserts a message card into the apparatus and the voice equivalent of the meaning of the picture shown on the message card is immediately played. One of the major disadvantages of this apparatus is its inability to operate with multiple message cards at the same time, which prevents the combination of message-card information. Another major disadvantage of this apparatus becomes apparent when multiple words, patterns, and/or colors are shown on the message card, causing confusion to young or aphasic users when they try to link a particular equivalent voice-message word to one of the multiple words, patterns, and/or colors on the message card. Still another major disadvantage of this apparatus is the need to remove and reinsert the message card whenever the user wishes to hear the equivalent voice message repeated. Because it is a practising device, the need to repeat the equivalent voice message many times is essential, but it makes the removal and reinsertion of the message card not only a distraction but difficult for young, aphasic, or physically disabled users. Another disadvantage of this apparatus is the external controls for recording the equivalent voice message, which can distract users; also, when unsupervised, the user might program over the equivalent voice message. Still another disadvantage of this apparatus is the inability to adjust the interword time of the synthesizer, which may be necessary for young or aphasic users as an aid in word recognition. Additional disadvantages of this apparatus are the combination of only sixteen addressable locations of the voice synthesizer and the fact that the quality of the equivalent voice message is not at the same level of a low-noise, correctly pronounced, studio recording, making the apparatus unacceptable for the education and rehabilitation environments.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,533, entitled "Speech Synthesizing Indicia for Interactive Learning," issued Feb. 23, 1993, discloses an interactive learning device in the form of a three-dimensional, indicium-bearing unit in the physical shape of a letter or number. To operate, the user touches the top surface of the indicium, activating the internal voice-synthesis circuitry to produce the name or phonetic sounds of the indicium audibly. A major disadvantage of this device is its inability to generate the name or phonetic sounds of multiple indicia without the user's pressing each individual indicium. Sequentially pressing multiple indicia may result in the name or phonetic sounds of two or more indicia being heard simultaneously, confusing the user. Another major disadvantage of this device is apparent when young or aphasic users attempt to position lowercase letters such as "b," "d," "p," and "q" physically. To young or aphasic users, these indicia are unfamiliar objects with no apparent orientation, and the likelihood, for example, of a user's handling the indicium for the letter "b" but orienting it as a "d," "p," or "q" is strong. Another disadvantage of the device is that the user must cover part of the indicium to be able to hear the name or phonetic sounds and may inadvertently cover all of the indicium; thus, the relationship between the letters or numbers represented by the indicia and the sounds associated with those symbols may be a confused one. Still another disadvantage of the device is the need for a supervisory person to be present when two or more indicia are being operated by the user, to prevent multiple indicia from being pressed simultaneously, causing the sound of two or more indicia to be heard at the same time.
Other patents describing learning aids that combine the use of cards include U.S. Pat. No. 4,403,966, entitled "Children Conductive Intelligence Autosuggestive Machine"; U.S. Pat. No. 4,358,278, entitled "Learning and Matching Apparatus and Method"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,505,682, entitled "Learning Aid with Match and Compare Mode of Operation."
Thus, there exists a need for an improved, card-type, electronic learning aid/teaching apparatus.